Qa-SNARE Protein SYP22 Negatively Regulates Brassinosteroid Signaling in the Dark

Soluble N-ethyl-maleimide sensitive factor attachment adaptor protein receptor (SNARE) domain-containing proteins were mainly involved in vesicle-associated membrane fusion. Genetic screening has revealed the function of SNARE in different aspects of plant biology. Among them, Synthaxin-22 (SYP22) a Qa-SNARE has been reported to have a pleiotropic function in plant development including regulation of leaf waving, shoot gravitropism and flowering time. In this study, we identified a new role of SYP22 in regulation of brassinosteroid (BR) signaling, especially in the dark. SYP22 interacts with BR receptor, brassinosteroid insensitive 1 (BRI1), and overexpression of SYP22 enhanced a weak BRI1 mutant bri1-5 phenotype. syp22 mutant exhibits short hypocotyl and it is sensitive to exogenously treated BR while slightly insensitive to BR-biosynthesis inhibitor propiconazole (PCZ) in the dark. Expression levels of BR signaling maker genes ACS5, SAUR15 and IAA19 were slightly higher, while BR6OX2, a BR biosynthesis marker gene, was lower in syp22 compared to the wild-type. In addition, syp22 was sensitive to 2,4-D, a synthetic auxin, in the dark. In conclusion, SYP22 is involved in BRand auxin-mediated hypocotyl growth inhibition in the dark, which might be via interaction with BR and auxin key regulators to alter their internalization in Arabidopsis.